F1 News
Date: 6/September/2012
F1 World Championship leader Fernando Alonso is ready to return to the cockpit of his Ferrari at Monza this weekend, following last Sunday’s Spa-Francorchamps scare.
Alonso suffered his first non-score of the year, and whiplash, when he was caught up in a five car pile-up at turn one of the Belgian round.
The incident was triggered by contact between Romain Grosjean and Lewis Hamilton, whose cars then careered into Alonso, plus the Saubers of Kamui Kobayashi and Sergio Perez.
Grosjean’s Lotus passed just inches from Alonso’s helmet, re-opening the debate over increasing driver protection. Fortunately the Spaniard was relatively uninjured.
“Two hours after the Spa race there was still some pain in the back, but then on Monday morning I woke up absolutely fine, feeling 100%,” said Alonso on Thursday.
“It was good news, because you never know how you will feel the day after a crash - anything can happen.”
The accident has seen Alonso’s Championship lead cut from 40 to 24 points over new nearest rival Sebastian Vettel - Red Bull’s reigning Champion having finished second to Jenson Button at Spa.
But the home Monza round has always meant more than just 25-points for Ferrari. Alonso delighted the tifosi with victory in 2010 and was third last year.
Alonso, a double world champion for Renault, said: “Monza is a special win, because for any Ferrari driver it’s a lot of support that you feel from the tifosi from today until Sunday and you want to give something back to them and the best thing is obviously a race win.
“Even if you’re not fighting for the championship, winning in Monza will be special anyway, because the podium celebration with all the people on the main straight etc is nice for anyone, not only fighting for the championship.
“So we will try to do a good race and see how many points we can make and have clear in our minds what is the priority this weekend.”
While triple 2012 race winner Alonso is contracted to Ferrari until 2016, his team-mate Felipe Massa faces an uncertain future. The Brazilian is just eleventh in the championship with a best race finish of fourth.
Massa said: “For sure, I expected to be in a different position in the championship but I'm just concentrated on my job which is driving the quickest that I can. I am frustrated with my qualifying. I'm sure that if I can improve in qualifying, I can be very strong in the races.
“I didn't sign anything for next year yet, but I think we have the possibility to sign and let's wait and see. I hope it will not take very long but let’s concentrate on the races and try to get good results. That’s the most important thing for my future as well.”
Also centre-stage in the F1 rumour mill is McLaren driver Hamilton, with recent stories claiming that he could replace Michael Schumacher at Mercedes next year.
Despite repeated efforts by the press, Hamilton refused to be drawn into the discussion.
“I’ve not really thought about it,” he replied, when asked about what Mercedes could offer.
“I don't have a deadline [to decide my future] - obviously before next season would be useful,” he joked.
“I drive for McLaren, we’ve won the last two races, we’ve got another great weekend, hopefully, ahead of us and that’s what we’ve got to focus on.”
Asked for his priorities in terms of contract negotiations, Hamilton stated that he simply “wants to win”.
“I always want to win, every year you compete,” he added. “That’s why us drivers exist and that's why the teams exist. It's just making sure you're in the right place to do so.”
Hamilton blotted his McLaren copybook at Spa by posting a picture of his and team-mate Button’s telemetry data on Twitter. The Englishman claimed he has already ‘moved on’ from the incident.
“I had the head of the PR department ask me to take the picture off [Twitter] and I did,” he said.
“I haven't spoken to [Button about it]. Don't plan to, moved on from it. Obviously it wasn't the best thing to do and it won't happen again.”
Button dominated at Spa for his second victory of the season, but remains one place and 16 points behind single 2012 winner Hamilton in the Championship. Hamilton is 47 points from Alonso.
Grosjean has been banned from this weekend’s event for causing the Spa incident. Lotus test driver Jerome d'Ambrosio, who raced in F1 for Marussia last season, will take Grosjean’s place alongside Kimi Raikkonen.
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